Mimmo’s Barlett Raglan, started April 30th, 2008, finished May 21st, 2008
Pattern: Basic Top-down Raglan
Yarn: Bartlett Yarn Fisherman 2-ply
Needles: Size 8
Dimensions: Child’s size 4 with extra long sleeves
Pattern Notes: Should fit next year as well, though I may need to add to the body length
Would I knit it again? Yes, I’ll be knitting at least 1-2 of these a year forever.

C’s “February Shawl” Blanket, started March 25th, 2008, finished April 28, 2008
Pattern: EZ’s February Shawl from Knitter’s Almanac
Yarn: Misti Alpaca: Suri Silk
Needles: Size 6 Addi’s
Dimensions: Unblocked: 36″ Square; Blocked: 37″ Square
Pattern Notes: I added a knit on border with Faggoting stitches and a garter stitch “binding” – it was pretty easy and went quickly.
Would I knit it again? Yes! This was a great, quick baby blanket pattern and could be done in almost any yarn – using a luxury yarn with a simple pattern makes for a very fancy feeling blanket that is still a quick knit.  I’d definately do this is washable wool as a gift blanket . . .

Here is the baby blanket that the Monday night knitting group made for her:

Isn’t it pretty! I think she’s really going to like the bright colors and its the perfect size for using with the car seat and stroller – which since we’ll be out and about much more than when the little guy was a baby is great!

And here is the one that I recently finished out of the Suri Silk:

This is super soft and very pink – I plan to use it to bring her home in . . . but it isn’t the most washable fiber so it will be more of a special occassion blanket than an every day kinda blanket . . . but it was so soft I just couldn’t resist

And here is the 3 of us together at Easter . . . weeks ago and I’m already the size of a blimp! Now just imagine how much bigger I am at what, like 6 weeks later?

And isn’t the little guy adorable in his suit? Too bad he’s had to wear it like 4 more times since then for all the funerals we’ve gone to lately . . . but he sure is cute!

we saw the Dr. on Thursday and while things are moving in the right general direction there is no real progress to report. We have another Drs apt on Wednesday with another ultrasound to check her weight and fluid levels and provided she hasn’t arrived on her own before then, the Dr. plans to induce on Friday.

I’ve been sooooooo tired today. I’ve taken a couple of naps when I’ve been able but I’m having trouble even keeping my eyes open – its likely to be an early night tonight. Perhaps its a sign? Maybe my body is trying to rest up while I can?

I’ve finished the sweater and the blanket (it blocked at 37″) and I’ve cast on the hat but haven’t really worked on it yet. I’ve also started a sweater for Mimmo – a basic, top-down raglan that I’m knitting out of some Barlett Fisherman I picked up at the Shearing Day at Gore Place in Waltham recently. I’ve got the top yoke done and about 1/2 of one sleeve – at 4 st/inch it goes pretty quick . . . I’m sizing it to be large when he starts wearing it next fall with the idea it will be like an oversized wool sweatshirt next winter and should still fit him the following winter as well . . . hopefully!

As you might have guessed from the time line, I didn’t originally start this blanket for our daughter.  It was started as a baby gift but it quickly became clear I wasn’t going to get through it in time; I knit them a sweater instead.  The blanket spent a good portion of last year on hold before I picked it up again with the idea that perhaps I’d make it really large (50+”) and give it to our son. . . . then we learned we were expecting again and since he’d just been given not 1 but 2 hand made blankets – one very large crochet square and one more than large enough for his twin sized bed . . . I decided that the new baby would need it far more than he does.   Eventually, I’ll knit him something for his bed but that will be down the road a bit when he isn’t outgrowing everything else quite so fast so I can get ahead!

I plan to weave in the end tomorrow after breakfast and then I’ll take a fo photo of it to post – perhaps even outside if the wind has let up at all. 

I have yarn for another blanket for her – a smaller, lighter, more delicate pink blanket that I can’t wait to work on (love the yarn!) but I think I may try to get myself to finish one of the two sweaters that are started before I cast on the other blanket.  We’ll see how it goes . . .

Praire Blanket, started January 6th, 2007, finished March 21st, 2008
Pattern: oAt Couture – Prairie Blanket
Yarn: Inspirations Yarn – Decaf – DK weight Superwash 100% wool, approx 3.5 – 8 oz hanks (almost 2000 yds)
Needles: Addi Turbo’s – size 6
Dimensions: 43″ square
Pattern Notes: I knit this 5″ larger than the suggested size so it would last longer.
Would I knit it again? Maybe, I like the pattern but this is perhaps the largest thing I’ve ever knit and it took a long time – granted it spent a lot of time in the UFo pile but still . . . It would take a special baby to get me to commit to something this big again.

EZ’s Icelandic Yoke Sweater, started February 8th, 2008, finished February 28th, 2008
Pattern: EPS Icelandic Yoke Sweater
Yarn: Paton’s Classic Merino & Cascade 220
Needles: Size 7 Addi Turbos
Dimensions: 40″
Pattern Notes: added 5 extra stitches and steeked front for cardigan
Would I knit it again? Definately!

This photo is from when I cut the steek – the sweater is finished (except buttons) and as soon as I have buttons on it I’ll take another on the maniquin so we can see what it really looks like.

 I’ll try to remember to take a picture when I join the pieces together, perhaps by this evening if things go well – otherwise tomorrow for sure

(edited to add photo)

I’m sitting here as I type this watching “Biggest Loser” and eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream! How’s that for irony?

Baby-wise things are moving along . . . she and I are growing – up 4 lbs in the past 2 weeks (and no, its not from icecream – really) and it turns out I’ve developed Iron deficiency Anemia.  That wasn’t a huge surprise since I’ve been borderline anemic most of my life . . . but it turns out that the anemia likely explains why I’ve been short of breath and tired a lot of the time lately.  I’m now taking iron pills and have been told that after a few days I’ll likely start to feel better.  That will be nice.

The little guy and I also managed to get a cold – I’m pretty sure we (okay, he) picked it up at the Musuem of Science when we went this past Friday.  He loved the museum! We’re thinking of becoming members and taking him often as he had such a good time.

The tide pool was easily his favorite – he just loves playing in water . . . now I just have to convince him not to splash the other kids or to drink the water! Say what you like, but this little guy is all Boy!

Knitting

The Minimalist Cardigan is done! I finished the knitting on Friday, blocked it over the weekend and sewed it together on Monday just before knitting group. 

I actually got blocking wires – steel rods frome a welding shop – on Saturday so that I would be able to block the sides straighter than they turn out with pins.  The blocking made it a lot easier to sew up, I think.  I had worried a little that the texture of the Moss stitch would make sewing it up that much harder but it worked out.

I had changed the gauge from 5 st/inch to 4 st/inch which meant doing a bit of math . . . there were a couple of things I would do differently but overall I’m happy with how it turned out.  Naturally, since I’m the size of the “Goodyear” blimp it doesn’t fit quite the way I’d like it to fit at the moment. 

I’m working the sleeves of the next sweater . . . I’m doing an EPS Yoke sweater in the style of the Icelandic Yoke sweater though, again, my gauge is different . . . but since its and EPS sweater gauge isn’t an issue. 

The plan is to knit this one up quickly as practice for this style of sweater and then to do a KAL with a couple of the ladies from the Monday night knitting group – we’re going to do the Fair Isle Yoke Sweater (or the Icelandic as an alternative) and I plan to steek the front and turn it into a cardigan. 

And since I just have to share the cute photos – this is the little guy on a rocking horse that a friend of mine from knitting gave me last night for him.  He was soooo excited when he saw it this morning and rode it on and off all day.

Minimalist Cardigan, started January 7th, 2008, finished February 11th, 2008
Pattern: Minimalist Cardigan
Yarn: Steadfast Fibers Wonderful Wool
Needles: Addi’s size 7
Dimensions: 39.5 inch finish
Pattern Notes: My gauge was 4 st/inch instead of the 5 st/inch called for in the pattern.  I had to do a bit of math in order to knit it up but I’m overall happy with the results.
Would I knit it again? Not likely, this much Moss stitch makes me a little crazy